Meaning in caring: reconceptualizing the nurse±family carer relationship in community practice Ursula M. Kellett RN PhD Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology, School of Nursing Jill Mannion RN MHA Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology, School of Nursing, Brisbane, Australia Accepted for publication 10 March 1998 KELLETT KELLETT U.M. & U.M. & MANNION MANNION J. (1999) (1999) Journal of Advanced Nursing 29(3), 697±703 Meaning in caring: reconceptualizing the nurse±family carer relationship in community practice To date family caregiving studies have considered family caring in primarily practical terms such as `how to do' and `how to cope'. Research efforts have focused upon exploiting the productive elements of a certain conception of the essence of family caregiving. Thus despite a wealth of studies, the question of the nature of family caregiving is not well understood. This ontological- hermeneutic study highlights the importance of understanding the human experience of family caring at home. The study involved in-depth audio-taped interviews with seven family carers who care for an older relative at home. Thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews uncovered a number of common themes which highlighted unique and shared meanings family carers ascribed to their everyday existence as carers. The ®ndings will challenge practitioners to reconceptualize the nurse±family carer relationship, to appreciate the many ways in which family members' involvement in care provides meaning and signi®cance to their lives, and to understand family carers through a process of human relating which fosters families' meaningful involvement in caring at home. Keywords: meaning in caring, family caregiving, home care, community nursing INTRODUCTION Nurses have been urged to adopt an holistic perspective towards client care which emphasizes human experience. However, there is a lack of research providing theoretical guidance which emphasizes the importance of under- standing such human experience (Hartrick 1995, Hartrick & Lindsey 1995, Kellett 1997a). Speci®cally, in the area of family caregiving, studies over the last few decades have de®ned caregiving in terms of empirical variables which depict family carers' experiences as consisting of distinct non-technical caregiving tasks. Such tasks are measured in terms of their type, function, frequency and pattern. Emphasis upon the rational and functional aspects of caregiving has been deemed important for predicting effect in terms of family carers' lifestyles and well-being Correspondence: Ursula. M. Kellett, Queensland University of Technology, School of Nursing, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Q 4059, Australia. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 1999, 29(3), 697±703 Issues and innovations in nursing practice Ó 1999 Blackwell Science Ltd 697